: Hunting Down a Transformed Great Demon

Lu Jianghe put away the jade slip and didn't say anything more polite, only saying, "I'll treat you to a drink next time we meet."

This is exactly what Shi Songpo was waiting for.

In the affairs of the world, the worst thing is to have no stance and to confuse right and wrong.

What I fear most is that people only talk about their stance and only distinguish between right and wrong.

The other person is a smart person.

He liked it very much.

If it weren't for the fact that it was their first meeting, Shi Songpo would have really wanted to have a longer chat with the other party.

It is a big no-no to speak too frankly with someone you don't know well. Some things and some matters should be left for another time.

Otherwise, he really wanted to pave some "paths to wealth" for this rogue cultivator on the spot, and introduce him to several powerful merchant alliances to serve as their retainers.

It's not entirely impossible that he could be recommended to join the Star Palace and become an enforcement elder.

After all, a rogue cultivator in the Nascent Soul stage, if recruited to one's side, would be an invaluable asset, whether in combating the increasingly rampant demonic races of the outer seas or in restraining the restless righteous and demonic paths.

Lu Jianghe's straightforwardness and his phrase "going out to sea to kill demons" made Shi Songpo feel that it was worth investing in.

However, human nature is unpredictable, especially when it comes to a Nascent Soul cultivator who suddenly appears...

Before he arrived, Shi Songpo had already sent people to Kuixing Island to investigate. Presumably, it would take no more than six months for them to find out the other party's background.

A higher level of understanding cannot solve all problems, but it can solve many problems.

If the other party is a mere Core Formation cultivator, then see if you'll bother with him or not.

Shi Songpo rose to his feet, cupped his hands in farewell, and said, "It's getting late, and I won't disturb you any longer. I wish Fellow Daoist Lu a safe voyage and success in slaying the demon."

Lu Jianghe also stood up to return the greeting, "Elder Shi, you're too kind. Until we meet again."

Shi Songpo lightly rolled up the sleeves of his white robe, his figure transforming into a flowing rainbow, disappearing into the Xieshan Pavilion in an instant.

Lu Jianghe took out the jade slip sea chart again and poured his spiritual power into it. Instantly, it shone brightly, and a solid light screen spread out in front of him, quickly unfolding.

Above the light screen, islands scattered like stars, formed by the convergence of light, are revealed in exquisite detail.

My gaze swept across the image and instantly locked onto several of the darkest and most shadowy areas.

After leaving the fiftieth floor, Shi Songpo did not linger but flew straight upwards to the Star Palace Temple.

As soon as he stepped in with steady steps, a guard on duty immediately stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Elder Shi!"

Shi Songpo nodded slightly and casually asked, "Has there been any unusual activity in the open sea lately?"

The late-stage Core Formation guard on duty dared not be negligent and quickly got to the point, reporting: "News has just come in that the activity of demonic beasts in the Abyss region has intensified, and it is suspected that several transformed demonic beasts are gathering. The Sixth Elder has ordered that two enforcement elders be selected to immediately go to the key nodes in the outer sea to investigate the details. Several elders in the hall are already discussing this matter, and the specific candidates have not yet been determined."

Upon hearing this, Shi Songpo, who had just lifted his foot, put it back down, his eyes slightly narrowed.

Monster Abyss?

The jade slip and sea map he had just given to the man surnamed Lu clearly showed that area.

The "Demon Beast Abyss" has been a forbidden area that human cultivators fear from the very beginning, and it is known to everyone in the inner and outer star seas.

The sudden unusual activity is most likely a precursor to a surge of demonic beasts.

It should be noted that the demon race that occupies that sea area is extremely powerful. It is rumored that there are several powerful demon races, including some level 10 transformed demons who are equivalent to late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

Shi Songpo's mind raced, but what he cared about most was not Haiyuan himself.

It was Lu Jianghe. Could it be that he just happened to choose to go to that sea area?

If one were to actually go there, given the perilous nature of that place, even a Nascent Soul cultivator would be in grave danger if they were not careful.

Moreover, it was a mission to hunt down demons.

The premise is that I didn't lie to him.

If the man surnamed Lu truly perished at sea… Shi Songpo frowned slightly.

Then all his previous efforts to cultivate a good relationship, including gifting tokens and internal nautical charts, were completely wasted.

Carefully laid out social interactions can turn into a complete waste in the blink of an eye.

Then, his eyes narrowed slightly, and a barely perceptible smile slowly curved the corners of his mouth.

Well... there's no need to worry too much.

In the cave on the fiftieth floor of Xingcheng that day, weren't there two female cultivators safely housed?

Since the man surnamed Lu specifically kept them in the important Star Palace, it's clear he values ​​them highly...

If that person truly perished in the abyss, then leaving behind these two...

It's barely acceptable to use it to pay off some "debts of gratitude" or for other purposes.

Of course, this is a story.

Furthermore, how could a rogue cultivator who has achieved the Nascent Soul stage allow himself to fall into danger?

I immediately put my previous thoughts aside.

The mission was to hunt demons in the open sea, but Shi Songpo figured that killing some sixth- or seventh-tier demons would be quite an achievement.

For a Nascent Soul cultivator to defeat an eighth-level Transformation Demon, unless they possess a powerful treasure or have some kind of overwhelming or restraining advantage, it is by no means easy to kill such a powerful demon in a contest between cultivators of the same realm.

Even if he's a rogue cultivator, he can't be that awesome.

Without thinking too much about it, Shi Songpo stepped inside.

In the center of the hall, a huge round table stands out prominently.

Looking up, I saw that several elders were already seated on jade thrones.

When everyone saw him arrive, they all looked over and nodded in greeting.

Apart from the two saints who are in seclusion year-round, the Star Palace is led by six elders every hundred years.

These six individuals are all at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm and hold high positions of power.

As for the remaining many foreign affairs law enforcement elders, they were all in the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

Shi Songpo is a special case, as he was already at his early peak.

This past century has been under the overall management of the Six Elders of the Star Palace.

The other five are all in seclusion in their respective caves, cultivating diligently in hopes of breaking through to the next level.

Shi Songpo walked to his seat, lifted his robe, and sat down.

Sending two elders to the Demon Beast Sea Abyss to observe from the outside is barely feasible.

However, if something goes wrong or an accident occurs, and circumstances are beyond one's control, then the situation is a different story.

Shi Songbo looked around.

He snorted coldly to himself.

None of the old guys present probably wanted to go.

Ultimately, the Demonic Beast Abyss is infamous, so naturally, it is safest to stay in Tianxing City.

Having cultivated to the Nascent Soul stage, they cherished their lives even more.

The longer you live, the more you want to live.

No wonder the righteous and demonic paths have been stirring up trouble all these years.

If the constellation continues to lose its drive and ambition, it may not be long before chaos ensues.

Let's start here.

Lu Jianghe gazed at the deepest mark on the light screen.

With a slight tuck of his fingers, the jade, now transformed into a stream of light, disappeared into the storage bag.

Refining "Water Pills" rich in spiritual essence is useless against ordinary low-level demonic beasts.

Even at the sixth level, the effect was minimal.

Given Lu Jianghe's resources, the required demon core must be at least at the seventh rank or higher.

Ideally, it should be a Nascent Soul stage demon beast.

Hunt down one or two, and extract their demon cores to refine them.

That would be enough to push his cultivation to the late stage of the Golden Core realm.

At that time, once another Yin God is formed, one can attempt to break through to the Nascent Soul stage.

At that time, the natal flying sword will undergo a slight change.

At that time, the sword will open Kunwu Mountain. With the right timing, location, and people, it might be possible to seize this opportunity and enter the Jade Purity Realm in one fell swoop.